India-UK trade pact: CBIC issues guidelines on implementation of self-certification of origin declarations

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Monday issued guidelines for the implementation of self-certification of origin declarations under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which will come into force on July 15.

A certificate of origin is a key document required for exports to avail duty benefits under India's trade agreements with partner countries.

It is essential to establish the origin of goods to ensure that products from third countries do not wrongly avail themselves of the preferential tariff benefits under trade agreements between the two countries.


"As the agreement adopts a self-declaration framework in place of the conventional system of certificates of origin issued by designated authorities, it provides for an authentication process to be implemented by the customs authorities of India and the United Kingdom," a CBIC circular said.

Accordingly, it said, the necessary arrangements have been put in place for the exchange of information and authentication of origin declarations for import into India.

The preferential duty treatment can be claimed only after the authenticity of the declaration has been established, the circular added.

An origin declaration, it said, will remain valid for twelve months from the date of its completion.

"An Origin Declaration shall relate to a single shipment and shall not be used for multiple importations," it added.